Fast Facts

Area Codes -- To call Aruba from the U.S., dial 011 (the international access code), then 297 (Aruba's country code), then 58 (the area code) and the five-digit local number. When in Aruba, dial only the five-digit local number.

Banks -- Banks are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm. Oranjestad and Noord, the town inland from Palm Beach, have many branches. The most centrally located bank is Aruba Bank at Caya Betico Croes 41 (tel. 297/527-7777). It's not hard to find an ATM (since there are over 50 on the island and they dispense money in either florins or U.S. dollars depending on your preference).

Business Hours -- Stores open from 8am to 6pm (Mon-Sat); some close noon to 2pm. Shops in malls and shopping centers are open 9:30am to 6pm. When cruise ships are in port, some stores in Oranjestad are open on Sunday and holidays. Office hours are 9am to 5pm (Mon-Fri).

Currency -- The coin of the realm is the Aruban florin (AWG), but U.S. dollars are universally accepted.

Drinking Laws -- The legal drinking age in Aruba is 18 for beer, wine, and spirits. While drinking alcoholic beverages is allowed on the beaches, be careful to remove all empty bottles as the Aruban authorities are stringent about their littering laws.

Electricity -- Like the U.S. and Canada, Aruba uses 110-120 volts AC (60 cycles).

Embassies & Consulates -- The Royal Netherlands Embassy, Washington, D.C. (tel. 202/244-5300; www.netherlands-embassy.org), is responsible for Aruba. Other embassies that may be useful are the Embassy of Canada, 501 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, DC 20001 (tel. 202/682-1740; www.canadianembassy.org); the British Embassy, 3100 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 800/443-8882; www.britainusa.com); and the Embassy of Australia, 1601 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (tel. 202/797-3000; www.australianvisasdc.com).

There is a U.S. consulate in Curaçao (P.O. Box 158, J.B. Gorsiraweg 1; tel. 599/9-461-3066; fax 599/9-461-6489; http://curacao.usconsulate.gov; infocuracao@state.gov). The office is open from Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm. Consular walk-in hours are only Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 to 11am.

Emergencies -- As in the United States, dial tel. 911 for police, medical, and fire emergencies.

Gasoline (Petrol) -- Despite being so close to Argentina and refining a heck of a lot of oil, Aruba doesn't have cheap gasoline. At press time, the price was AWG 1.63 per liter, which is about 94¢ or $3.56 per gallon.

Holidays -- Most stores and restaurants close on official holidays. If you stay near the resort areas, however, you may not be affected at all. Here's a list of Aruba's holidays: January 1 (New Year's Day); January 25 (Betico Croes Day); February 15, 2010 (Carnival Monday); February 24, 2010 (Fat Tuesday); February 25, 2010 (Ash Wednesday); March 18 (National Anthem and Flag Day); April 2, 2010 (Good Friday); April 10, 2010 (Easter Sunday); April 30 (Queen's Birthday); May 1 (Aruba's Labor Day); May 13, 2010 (Ascension Day); December 25 (Christmas Day); and December 26 (Boxing Day).

Hospitals -- Horacio Oduber Hospital, L.G. Smith Boulevard, near Eagle Beach (tel. 297/587-4300), is modern and well equipped, with 280 beds.

Insurance -- For information on traveler's insurance, trip cancellation insurance, and medical insurance while traveling please visit www.frommers.com/planning.

Internet Access -- Many hotels have either dataports or Wi-Fi in rooms and/or the lobby. In downtown Oranjestad, Inter Transfer (tel. 297/588-6626), in the Port of Call Marketplace, offers Internet access from 7:30am to 9pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 2pm on Sunday. The rate is about $3.10 per hour.

Language -- Official languages are Dutch and Papiamento, a local tongue that combines European, African, and indigenous American languages, but practically everybody speaks English. Spanish is also widely spoken.

Mail -- Aruba created its own postage stamps in 1986. The post office (tel. 297/582-1900) is located at J.E. Irausquinplein 9 in Oranjestad. Postcard stamps to the U.S. are 1.25 AWG (71¢).

Newspapers & Magazines -- The News, Aruba Today, and Aruba Daily are the three leading English-language newspapers in Aruba.

Passports -- Visit www.frommers.com/planning for information on how to obtain a passport.

Police -- Police respond to emergency calls to tel. 911. The main station (tel. 297/582-4000) is at Wilhelminastraat 33, Oranjestad.

Smoking -- Many restaurants have smoking sections which are usually at the bar or outside. Generally, in hotel lobbies, smoking is restricted to inside the casino or in bar areas. Hotels have smoking and nonsmoking rooms.

Taxes & Service Charges -- The government of Aruba charges an 11% room tax as well as 5% to 7% for service. Restaurants often add service charges of 10% to 12%. A 3% sales tax that was implemented in 2007 may be added to purchases, or it may be absorbed into the ticket price of merchandise. Store owners have the option to decide whether the tax is added to the price or if it is built into the original price, so be sure to ask before you make any big purchases.

Telephones -- To make a local call from a pay phone, purchase a phone card in $5, $9, or $18 denominations from a hotel desk, gas station, or convenience store. You can also dial tel. 121 to place a collect call. Most cellphones will work in Aruba, but call your carrier first to be sure. Rates are usually on the order of $2 per minute, even if you're dialing an 800 number. AT&T customers can dial tel. 916/843-4685 to reach an operator from your cellphone, or call tel. 800-8000 from special phones at the cruise docks and airport. Verizon's global customer service number is tel. 908/559-4899. Sprint customer service in Aruba is tel. 888/211-4727. Local cellphones can be rented at the airport by the day or week. The two main carriers are Digicel (tel. 297/522-2222; www.digicelaruba.com) and SETAR (tel. 297/583-4000; www.setar.aw). Rates are $8 per day for the first 5 days and $5 for each subsequent day. Additional charges for outgoing and incoming calls apply and a deposit is usually required.

Time -- Aruba is on Atlantic Standard Time year-round. For most of the year, the island is 1 hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time. When the United States is on daylight saving time, the time in New York and Aruba is the same.

Visas -- Americans, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, and E.U. nationals can stay in Aruba for up to 1 month without a visa. Timeshare and home owners are allowed to stay on island up to 180 days without one. If you plan to stay longer, get a visa application from the Institute of Vigilance & Security Aruba (IASA) in Aruba (tel. 297/587-7444; fax 297/587-1077) or at a Dutch embassy or consulate. In the U.S., the embassy of the Netherlands is located at 4200 Linnean Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 877/388-2443; www.netherlands-embassy.org).

Visitor Information -- Contact the Aruba Tourism Authority (tel. 800/TOARUBA [862-7822]; www.aruba.com), which has offices in major cities such as Chicago, Miami, Houston, and Atlanta. Their main location in the U.S. is 100 Plaza Dr., first floor, Secaucus, NJ 07094 (tel. 201/558-1110; ata.newjersey@aruba.com), and in the U.K., the Copperfields, 25 Copperfield St., London SE1 0EN (tel. 020/7928-1600; aruba@saltmarshpr.co.uk).

You also can gather tons of information from other Internet sources. A couple of Aruba's greatest fans compile Aruba Bound! (www.arubabound.com), a noncommercial collection of hard facts, informed opinions, and numerous Web links. Visit Aruba (www.visitaruba.com) has commercial links, practical information, news items, and a snappy gossip column. For a lively exchange of information and opinion, visit Aruba Bulletin Board (www.aruba-bb.com), where you can post questions to seasoned Aruba-vacation veterans and search for great deals on a timeshare rental.

Once you're on the island, go to the Aruba Tourism Authority at L.G. Smith Blvd. 172, Oranjestad (tel. 297/582-3777). It is open Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm. But if you miss the office hours, you can find the authority's many free local magazines, like Destination Aruba, Aruba Experience, Island Temptations, Aruba Nights, Aruba Ta Hot!, Bon Bini, and Island Gourmet at restaurants, shops, and hotels. Two English-language dailies -- Aruba Today and the News -- provide entertainment listings.

Water -- The water comes from the world's second-largest desalination plant, which is considered one of the best water supplies in the world. Bottled water is widely available but highly discouraged due to the environmental cost of importing it, as well as the island's mounting garbage disposal problem.